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Pros

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Google Pixel 2 XL Review

Google Pixel 2 XL is the Google’s best phone yet. Its different look, a large big screen with world’s highest rated camera makes this phone one of the best smartphone in the world!! Google provides a rich Android experience on this phone. The latest Android Pie will be on this phone before any other.

Google Pixel 2 XL is the company’s most expensive phone yet. There are some issues reported on this phone as the static image remains on the OLED display for too long (Screen Burn-In problem). But this issue is small and can be resolved with the upcoming Google’s software update.

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This smartphone always gets compared with smaller Google Pixel 2. It is cheaper than XL and costs 200$ less. However, there are some big differences like XL provides a bigger battery, large screen, slim bezels. Software experience is same on both smartphones. If you like stock Android, large display and different design than others then XL is perfect for you. With an only 12.2MP single camera, this phone has the highest rated camera in the world. Recent Google’s prompt updates making images even look better.

The Google Pixel 2 XL was released on October 19 in India, US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany. It comes with 64GB at US$849 (£799, AU$1,399) and 128GB variant at US$949 (£899, AU$1,549). Google offers a two-year warranty on this phone, unlimited Google Photos storage which is price worthy.

Design & Display:

Google Pixel 2 XL has a new design and large display. There are new improvements in the phone like 3-dimensional curved edges, Gorilla 5 glass which gives stunning look. It is IP67 waterproof device so you don’t have to worry about rains! The back side is made up of aluminum with a texture which is better for gripping.

There is a glass section on upper side which includes a single rear-facing camera, flash with accompanying sensors in it. There is a metal ring around the camera which can prevent damage to the camera lens.

On the front side, there are bezels with a large screen and dual front-facing speakers, smart front camera, LED notification sensor within this bezel. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack. The sides are smooth with glossy metals. On the right side, there are volume rocker and power button.

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Google Pixel 2 XL comes with slimmer but taller OLED display (2560 x 1440 pixels (538 ppi)). There is a problem of viewing angles. If you slightly tilt the screen, you’ll notice that brightness and colors get dull. This is really a drawback of this phone.

If you love watching movies and Google Daydream view for virtual reality, then XL provides QHD+, which makes this phone the ideal option. It has a pixel-dense display that’s perfect for watching 2K content and hopping into the Google Daydream View headset. It’s a solid display.

The 12.2MP rear camera has a f/1.8 aperture, improving over last year’s model to help bring a little more light into a dark scene. It has OIS which is a very important feature. On the front side, there is 8MP selfie camera that is set to f/2.4 aperture. This camera has faster focus technology, wider apertures and new features like portrait mode, motion photos.

The photos taken on both cameras are brilliant with accurate colors and not over saturated. The HDR+ technology works brilliantly and you get the best shots with it. Lighting and focus are right on the mark. Portrait modes give accurate focus and blurring effect which will impress you. Google just proves that you don’t need dual camera lenses for portraits and blurring effects.

You can capture videos up to 4K at 30 frames per second. Videos captured by XL are also beautiful. In raw specification terms, Google Pixel 2 XL is a monster. Therefore the camera is the first reason to buy this smartphone.

Augmented Reality which debuts first in the Pixel 2 is in Pixel 2 XL also. From camera viewfinder, you can place 3D characters from Star Wars or Stranger Things or other licensed content. This 3D characters can be placed in your environment and they will walk around convincingly and occasionally interact with one another.

Power & Performance:

Pixel 2 XL comes with Snapdragon 835 and 4GB RAM. You can experience pure Stock Android on this smartphone. Because of Google’s smart software and hardware integrations, multi-tasking can be performed on this device. It feels as fast as the others in most tasks. Booting time is only 10 Seconds which is impressive. Google also keeps the things steady and speedy with future updates. You can play games without lags. It is outstanding in everyday performance.

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Dual front speakers are good and gives an enjoyable experience. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack so you have to use wireless reliability which is actually quite good. Google pixel 2 XL features Android Oreo’s high-quality wireless audio codecs and Bluetooth 5.0 to make a surprisingly good and painless wireless experience.

Fingerprint sensor performs well and unlocks phone quickly.

Battery:

Google pixel 2 XL comes with 3,520mAh battery but still, it lasts a full day. Even sometimes it can be efficient for heavy users. Android Oreo and Android Pie has some new built-in battery optimization features. This features can help to reduce battery consumption effectively.

Should You Buy Google Pixel 2 XL?

If you want world’s best camera in a smartphone, Rich Android experience provided by Google itself, a pixel-dense display that’s perfect for watching 2K content and hopping into the Google Daydream View headset. Then Google Pixel 2 XL is all you need. But still, it’s not most powerful in performance and price is also high.

But for photography lovers, for smartest android experience there’s no better android smartphone in the market. For movie lovers who love to watch it on bigger screen smartphones, future-ready VR technology, and slim bezel-clad design – Google Pixel 2 XL is the ideal smartphone.